Frequently Asked Questions

Official Game Rules
Full Minor League FAQ

General Rules & Format

Who can play in The Dink Minor League Pickleball?
  1. Anyone with a DUPR account. 
  2. Any age.
  3. Any skill level.
What are DUPR divisions and how does a team aggregate work?
  1. DUPR divisions: DUPR 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 & 22
  2. DUPR aggregates are based on the total DUPR ratings of the 4 players on the team (NR see next question). 

DUPR 12: Maximum team aggregate is 12.300.
 *Maximum individual player rating is 3.600 at registration.
DUPR 14: Maximum team aggregate is 14.300.
 *Maximum individual player rating is 4.100 at registration.
DUPR 16: Maximum team aggregate is 16.300.
 *Maximum individual player rating is 4.600 at registration.
DUPR 18: Maximum team aggregate is 18.300.
 *Maximum individual player rating is 5.100 at registration.
DUPR 20: Maximum team aggregate is 20.900.
DUPR 22: Minimum aggregate is 20.300, maximum team aggregate of 22.99. 

If DUPR 22 is available, the DUPR 20 max aggregate is 20.30 and DUPR 22 is 22.99.

*To discourage sandbagging, maximum individual player ratings have been added to the 2024 season and are also effective for all 2024 events as of 6/26/24. Players that registered for an event prior to 6/26/24 are grandfathered in. 

Once a team registers for a The Dink Minor League Pickleball event, their ratings are “locked” and their DUPR increasing or decreasing will not impact the team’s aggregate or division placement for the event in which they registered for.

What if I am a NR (not rated) player?
  1. If you are an NR player, your rating will be set to the average rating of the division you sign up for.

    Example A: if you sign up for DUPR 14 you are assigned a 3.500 rating. The appointed rating will impact the team aggregate and said aggregate must fit within the maximum team total. The remaining 3 players’ total aggregate must be a total of 10.800 or less.

Example B: player A signs up for DUPR 16. The assigned rating is 4.000. The remaining 3 players’ total aggregate must be a total of 12.300 or less. 

NR assignments:

DUPR 12: 3.000

DUPR 14: 3.500

DUPR 16: 4.000

DUPR 18: 4.500

DUPR 20: 5.000

The assigned NR ratings can only be altered with proper information submitted to the event organizer. The event organizer/tournament director reserves the right to make the final decision on a NR’s assigned rating.

Where can I find the rules on paddles, format and other policies?

All rules of The Dink Minor League Pickleball competition are governed by the most current rules of USA Pickleball, as well as UPA standards, except for the rules outlined in the Official Minor League Pickleball Rules Guide. Click here for the full Rules Guide.

The Dink Minor League Pickleball continually monitors both governing bodies’ standards and will make adjustments as needed.

We accept all USAP paddles and UPA approved paddles at all MiLP events. As of right now the only UPA certified paddles are the Joola 3S in Scorpeus, Perseus, Hyperion, and Magnus 14mm and 16mm for all.

Dream Ticket to Nationals

Winning teams at a regional showdowns or MiLP @ MLP events will earn a dream ticket to our National Championship for their division. The only other pathway to Nationals is to accrue points through local events.

National Leaderboard
View the Leaderboard

National Leaderboard & point system

A breakdown of how our National leaderboard and points system works.

How often will the National Leaderboard be updated?

Once a month

How are points allocated at Minor League Pickleball events?

Points are based on the total number of teams competing with the minimum number being 4 points for the winning team. 

Teams always earn points in the division they signed up for, regardless of where they actually played. IE: a DUPR 12 team is given the option to play up with DUPR 14 if the division doesn’t make. The DUPR 12 team will earn points in DUPR 12, not DUPR 14. 

All official Minor League Pickleball events earn points the same way. This includes Local Events, Regional Showdowns and MiLP @ MLP events.

Example 1: 

DUPR 12 has 6 teams. 

1st Place earns 6 points

2nd Place earns 5 points

3rd Place earns 4 points

4th Place earns 3 points

5th Place earns 2 points

6th Place (last place) earns 1 point

 

Example 2: 

DUPR 14 has 8 teams. 

1st Place earns 8 points

2nd Place earns 7 points

3rd Place earns 6 points

4th Place earns 5 points

5th Place earns 4 points

6th Place earns 3 points

7th Place earns 2 points

8th Place (last place) earns 1 point

 

Example 3: 

DUPR 20 has 3 teams. 

1st Place earns 4 points

2nd Place earns 3 points

3rd Place (last place) earns 2 points 

Do all Minor League Pickleball events gain points?

Yes! All players at local, regional showdowns, or amateur events at Major League Pickleball will earn points towards the National Leaderboard.

Events after October 14th will earn points towards the 2025 Qualifying Season.

Do points from different divisions add together?

Points earned by a player remain in the division where they were earned. 

Example: if a player plays both DUPR 16 and DUPR 18 throughout the year, their points will stay at the division they earned each point, hence, the player would be on both the DUPR 16 and the DUPR 18 National Leaderboards.

Why is there no DUPR 22 National Leaderboard?
  1. DUPR 22 is only played in very select markets. We offer the division in the National Championship as an open category with the only requirement being the team’s aggregate must be a minimum of 20.300 with a maximum aggregate of 22.99.
What is the last date I can earn points towards the National Leaderboard?
  1. The 2024 Qualifying season is November 25, 2023 through October 14, 2024. 
  2. All events post October 14th will earn points towards the 2025 Season.
  3. Points earned at the Regional Showdowns and MiLP @ MLP events post October 14th will count towards the 2025 Season. (Dream Tickets for these events are for the 2024 National Championship)

National Championship

The National Championship is a two day tournament for each division, facing off the best of the best amateur players across the nation.

Who can play at the National Championship?

To play at the National Championship it is required that each player must have played at least ONE Official Minor League Pickleball event during the 2024 season or in any of the 2024 Regional Showdowns or Minor League Pickleball at Major League Pickleball events.

When do I register for Nationals?

Registration opens on Wednesday, September 4, 2024 for players/teams that have qualified and received an email with instructions to register.

We are implementing rolling cutoff dates for the National Championship registration.

  • On Wednesday, August 29, 2024, the Top 5 players (and the Dream Ticket holders) in each division will receive an email with instructions on how to register their team. These players will have between Wednesday, September 4th and Wednesday, September 18th to register for the National Championship. If a player does not register within this registration period, they will lose their guaranteed bid to the Championship.

  • September 25, 2024
    The updated National Leaderboard will be reviewed and the next 5-10 players in the leaderboard will be sent instructions on how to register their teams. These players will have between Wednesday, September 25th and Wednesday, October 16th to register for the National Championship. If a player does not register within this registration period, they will lose their guaranteed bid to the Championship. 

 

  • October 23, 2024
    The National Leaderboard will be updated a final time. The remainder of the players will be invited based on the amount of team spots left.

Please Note: we will monitor the registrations and point system to ensure we allow for the last wave of players’ to have an opportunity to qualify and register. If needed, these dates and number of qualified players may be amended.

Can a player play multiple divisions at the National Championship?

NO: due to the overlap of divisions, a player can only play one division at the National Championship.

How will the prize money be distributed?

First through third place winners in all divisions will receive prize money. The exact amount per division and placement will be announced at a later date.

How do I create a team for the National Championship?

The top players in the National Leaderboard will receive an email from Minor League Pickleball.

The players who earned their qualification spot will then assemble their team with players who have played in at least one Official Minor League Pickleball event. These players can be anyone from the top of the leaderboard to the bottom of the leaderboard.

Top players may combine forces with other top players as long as the aggregate doesn’t exceed the allotted maximum for the division. 

  • Example 1: in DUPR 18 the 1st seed, 2nd seed, 4th seed and 19th seed may all play in the same team. 
  • Example 2: in DUPR 18 the 4th seed, 12th seed, 49th seed and 150th seed may play in the same team. 
  • Minor League Pickleball will monitor the teams. As players are registered, we will offer additional National Championship invites to the next players in line on the National Leaderboard.

Minor League Pickleball will provide a way for players to become part of a waitlist. The waitlist will provide qualified teams/players to learn of players who are interested in playing at the National Championship and are not yet part of a team. More information on how to sign up for the waitlist will be provided at a later date. 

National Championship